Going 10 rounds…

THE Roundhouse has stepped in just in time to provide some much-needed Christmas present inspiration for live music lovers. Three years since its inception, the venue’s In The Round series continues to deliver a line-up of quality acts for its series of intimate shows in a rare, fully-seated set-up in the venue’s main space.

Next year’s 10 special shows, premieres and special sets from an eclectic mix of artists, which takes place between January 31 and February 18, features Oumou Sangare, Jimmy Webb, Nadine Shah, Portico Quartet, the Levellers, GoGo Penguin, (aka Chipmunk) and Beth Orton, with more acts to be announced. And, as part of the Roundhouse’s commitment to developing emerging talent, young artists from the Paul Hamlyn Roundhouse Studios will be given the opportunity to act as support acts for the headline artist. Can’t decide which to opt for?
Here’s a little info to help:

January 31, 7pm, £15-£25
Malian superstar Oumou Sangaré, often referred to as the “The Songbird of Wassoulou” (a southern wooded region of Mali which she considers her spiritual home), is widely regarded as one of the greatest living female voices in African music, often using her songs to campaign to improve the position of women in Mali. For this show she will be performing material from her latest album, Mogoya.

February 1, 7pm, £15-£25
American songwriter, singer and composer Jimmy Webb was the youngest person ever to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His songs have been sung by some of the greatest voices of all time, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Art Garfunkel and Glen Campbell, for whom he wrote By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Wichita Lineman and Galveston. For In the Round, Webb will preview his brand new memoir, The Cake and the Rain.

February 2, 7pm, £15-£25
Geordie songstress Nadine Shah’s darkly powerful voice and bleak, compassionate lyrics have earned her a fierce reputation as an uncompromising talent. Born to a Norwegian mother and a Pakistani father, Shah takes influences from Nina Simone, Scott Walker, poet Philip Larkin and even artist Frida Kahlo. For this show, the singer will perform music from her current album alongside music from her previous recordings.

Portico Quartet

February 3, 7pm, £15-£25
Mercury Prize-nominated Portico Quartet fuse jazz, electronica and ambient music to create their own cinematic, minimalist sound. After a brief spell as three-piece Portico, they are now back to their full name, with the return of Keir Vine on hang drums and keys. Expect to see the band debut previously unheard new music alongside songs from their 2017 fourth studio album, Art in the Age of Automation, as well as classics from their back catalogue.

February 4, 7pm, £15-£25
Formed in 1988 after musicians Mark Chadwick and Jeremy Cunningham met in a Brighton pub, the Levellers were soon drawing massive crowds at Glastonbury. For In the Round they will perform a special acoustic set of Levellers classics and brand new numbers from forthcoming album, We The Collective, due out in spring next year.

February 8, 7pm, £15-£25
Manchester-based, leftfield piano trio GoGo Penguin – aka pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner – draw on rock, jazz and minimalism, game soundtracks and glitchy electronica to create their unique sound. For this special return to the Roundhouse stage, the trio will feature music from fourth album, A Humdrum Star, set for release on February 9.

CHIP

February 9, 7pm, £15-£19.50
Formerly known as Chipmunk, rebranded Tottenham rapper CHIP has amassed a shelf full of accolades. Headlining the Roundhouse for the first time, he marks the 10-year anniversary of his breakthrough mixtape, League of My Own, and a return to grime.

February 10, 7pm, £15-£25
Beth Orton started out as an outlier for the UK folk revival and one of the few recognisable faces at the forefront of the mid-90s dance scene, earning a Mercury nomination with her first album, Trailer Park, and winning a Brit Award for Best British Female Artist with the follow-up, Central Reservation. For In the Round she will be performing songs spanning her celebrated career.